1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image processing apparatus is well known (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-297560), which analyzes a page description language (PDL) of print data and divides a job on the unit basis of a page or an object, thereby forming print data. Then, parallel processing for generating a print image is performed with a plurality of raster image processors (RIPs).
A demand for variable data printing (VDP) to print an output result in response to each client is increased. In the VDP, an output which is partly different on the unit basis of a record is printed for each job according to registered client data. The record is a unit of a series of VDP processing. When printing is performed on the unit basis of a client, one record includes print data corresponding to one client.
In the VDP job, variable objects which vary depending on the records are correlated with each other. Further, the variable object is combined to a master object serving as a common background of the records and the resultant object is then printed. If the VDP contains a plurality of the records, the records are managed on the unit basis of a job. This is referred to as a VDP job. Further, an object used in the job at a plurality of times is referred to as a reusable object. The reusable object holds intermediate data or a bit map image that is rasterized once. The reusable object is reused for the second time and thereafter, thereby realizing the speedup of a processing time.
Along with wide use of the VDP, the parallel technique is applied to the VDP job, thereby further increasing the speed of processing of the VDP job.
With a conventional art in Japanese Patent No. 4049203, the speed-up of the VDP job processing is realized by using a plurality of image generation units. Each image generation unit processes all variable objects in the VDP job on the unit basis of a record. When the processing of the variable object data has ended, the data is temporarily stored in an image management unit. A page image generation unit calls the variable object data when generating a raster image in order of the records. The page image generation unit processes the reusable object. According to an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of image generation units is parallel operated. However, one page image generation unit generates a final print image. Therefore, the results are output in order of the records.
With a conventional art in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-172913, the parallel processing is performed on the unit basis of a record in a plurality of page image generation units to increase the speed and efficiency of the processing of the VDP job. Depending on an output speed and a status of a printer engine, the number of records for parallel processing is varied. In this case, the printer engine can output data at a constant pace, and process the prior record before the record being output. Thus, unnecessary use of a memory or a central processing unit (CPU) is suppressed. In this case, the data is also output in order of the records.
In the parallel processing of the VDP jobs, in a case of page parallel or object parallel processing that is conventionally discussed, data needs to be output in order of pages or records. Therefore, when it takes a long time to process a specific page, a page subsequent to the specific one is not output, a queuing time is generated, and the processing of all VDP jobs takes a long time. On the other hand, weight is laid on obtaining a product on the unit basis of a record in a case of the VDP. If pages in the record are output in correct order, the pages may not be necessarily output in order of the records. A catalogue with an advertisement made in response to client's demand needs to be printed and prepared in advance. However, a client does not come to a shop in order of the records. If the order of pages in a record in a printed matter is correct, the data may not be output in order of the records.